Strip-feeding mechanism



STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORxS. M

ATTORNEY.

g- 1929- c. J. FANCHER ETAL 1,723,690

STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 76 a V i INVENTORY. m/,

ATTORNEY.

1929. c. J. FANCHER ET AL 1,723,690

i I STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21, 1927 I 4 shets sheet 4 Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. FANCHER, OF WINDSOR, VERMONT, AND ROBERT A. JOHNSON, OF LONG MEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WOODWARD- HUBBARD COMPANY, OF HILL, NEXV HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

STRIP-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Original application filed January 12, 1927, Serial No. 160,639. Divided and this application filed December 21, 1927.

Our invention relates to improvements in mechanism for feeding strips, and particularly for feeding strips of zinc while being cut into glazicrs points, the same being a divisional part of our application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed J an uary 12, 1927, Serial No. 160,639.

The primary object of our invention is to produce mechanism with which can be fed to cutting mechanism one or more strips of zinc, or more or less similar material, in a manner to insure precision, adequacy, and reliability, said feeding mechanism being comparatively simple both structurally and fuiu-tionally.

."lnother object is to provide mechanism of this character with means for feeding the strips at their leading ends inter-mittently, even though said strips initially be fed continuously. For this purpose clamping and slip fecding elements are employed and applied to the strips.

in order to feed zinc strips to the best advantage to cutting mechanism, feeding mechanism is required which is especially adapted for handling such strips. The feeding of zinc strips, as distinguished from the feeding of spring-steel strips for exan'lple, involves the use of means especially adapted for the purpose, and neci-issarily different from m ans capable of feeding strips of material of a. character unlike zinc, or having characteristics which differ from those of zinc, as will. be readily understood.

Our feeding mechanism is designed to handle and feed ten zinc strips, but this number as applied to said mechanism may be incrmised or decreased without changing any essential feature of the mecl'ianism or de parting from the invention, since even a single strip might be fed thereby without making any mechanical change, or mechanism might be constructed to handle a single strip only, or to handle more than ten strips. In this connection it may be noted that, when the fiediug mechanism is employed in connection with the manufacture of glaziers points, the strips are obtained from a roll of sheet zinc suliiciei'itly wide to cut therefrom the required number, as ten. of said strips each equal. to the width of a diamond- Serial No. 241,573.

shaped point between parallel sides. The stock, after being cut in a slitting machine into the ten, more or less, individual strips, is rolled on large spools which are supplied as required to the feeding mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, whereby we attain the objects and secure the advantages of the same, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and we will proceed to describe the invent-ion with reference to said drawings, although it is to be understood that the form, construction, arrai'igcment, etc, of the parts in various aspects are not material and may be modified withcmt departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1. a front elevation of feeding mechanism which embodies a practical form of our invention as aforesaid; Fig. 2-, a. top plan of certain parts and men'lbers of the feeding mechanism which may be and here are in the form of an attachment mounted on the cutter-head, and which may be removed therefrom; Fig. 3, a rear ell-Nation, broken away on different longitudinal, vertical planes, of parts of said attachment; Fig. -l-, a cross section through the parts and members appearing in. Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a front side elevation of said attachment; Fig. 6, a front end elevation of s id attaclnnent; Fig. '7, a top plan of said cutter-head, which so closely associated with said fccding mechanism as to form a part thereof; Fig. 8, a front side elevation of said cutter-head; each of Figs. 9, 10, l1, and l 2, a sectional detail. illustrating a stage of the feeding opcnation; Fig. 123, a transverse, vertical section through said Cllt-l'GI'dN-ifll, and, Fig. 14-, a hmgitudi- .nal, vertical. section through the cutterhead.

o have illustrated our feeding mechanism with or as a part of a glazieidspoint machine, and will describe so much of said machine as is shown or may be necessary fully to understand said mechanism in both structure and function. It is to be under stood, of course, that the strip-feeding mechanism can be applied to or used in connection with a machine or machines other than a glaziers-point machine.

A bed block 1 is supported on a table 2, a portion of said block inclining downwardly .from rear to front to provide a bed 3 for a cutter-head bed -11. The bed i has at the right-hand end bearings S fo' a. transversely arranged, oblique shaft (5. Posts 7, each having its base firmly set in the bed block 1, are rigidly connected at the top by means of a platform 8. tiecured on the platform 8 is a plate 9 above which is journaled in suitable bearings a horizontal shaft 10. A' feed wheel 11 is mounted on and secured to the forward end of the shaft 10. A stand 12 rises from the plate 9 and has at the upper end a bearing for a short horizontal shaft 13, on which is mounted a weighted arm 1st. The arm 14- carries a roll 15 and locates the same directly over the top of the wheel 11. The wheel 11 is continuously driven by any suitable means and from any suitable source of power, as also the shaft (3. Here the shaft 6 is provided with a cone 16vas the direct driving member.

Ten zinc strips 17, from a. spool (not shown), are passed upwardly through a. slotted guide bar 18, over the wheel 11 and between said wheel and the roll 15, into and through a holder 19, and into ten tubes 20. The bar 18 is supported by an arm 21 that is rigidly attached to one of the posts 7. The tubes 20 are arranged side by side, being held together by means of links 2222, and are supported at their upper ends by the holder 19, and at their lower ends by an arm 23 that is also rigidly attached to one of the posts 7. The tubes 20 extend to the left from the holder 19, then curve downwardly and to the right, and finally descend to a plane at some distance above the cutterhead.

Inasmuch as the strips 17 are fed vertically to the cutter-head, and it is essential, after the first cut is made, to produce a plurality of glaziers points at each active stroke of the movable cutter, it is necessary that said cutter-head be set obliquely to the vertical plane of the strips where they are fed to the cutters. Furthermore, as it is preferred that each point be equal in width, between either pair of its oppositely disposed edges, to the width of the strip from which the point is cut, the cutter-head is set at an angle of 40 to the vertical plane of said strip, that being the degree angle of two parallel edges of said point when the latter is placed vertically on one of said edges. Due to this angular setting or position of the cutter-head, the same is shown in Fig. 1 as it is actually located in and as a part of the machine, wherein said cutter-head inclines downwardly and forwardly from the back to the front side of said machine.

The sides of the cutter-head bed 4 are at right-angles to the top and bottom thereof. This bed carries cutting mechanism lhat includes a fixed knife 24:. Plates 25 and 26,

which form parts of the feeding altmrlunent,

are arranged to reciprocate above the knife Q l. as will presently appear. Thor. are ten vertical grooves 21'' in the side of the plate 26 which is contiguous with the plate 25, and the strips 17, after they leave the bottom ends of the tubes 20, which ends are directly above said plates and said grooves. pass down between said plates and through said grooves, and emerge at the right-hand side of the knife 2 1-, the inner side of said plate 25 being in the same plane with said side of said knife. The plate 26 has a. base piece 2h which extends under the plate 25 and is directly over the knife 24;. The plate 25 is secured by means of screws or otherwise to the. plate 26. )n the front side of the plate 25 are two sleeves 29 which are adapted to slide on two guide rods 30.

A fixture 31 is secured by means of bolts 32-32 respectively to a lug 3;), on the back side of the bed 4-, which is tapped at M to receive one of said bolls, and to the top of said bed adjacent to the front side thereof which has i nolher lapped opening 34 therein to receive the other of said bolts. Anolher lixiure 35 is secured by means of two bolts 36 lo the front side of the bed -l-, tapped openings 37, Fig. 3, being provided in said side to receive said bolts. A stud 3h is tapped into an opening 39 also in the front side of the bed -1-. The fixture 31. is crosswise of the bed 14-, and therefore inclined at an angle of 40. The fixture 35 has a sleeve 10 in which is adapted to slide up and down a rod ll parallel with the front side of the bed .4. and the stud 38 extends forwardly and down- -ardly from said side. Mounted on and secured to the front end of the shaft (3 is a cam 42.

The fixture 31 has two lugs 41-23 on lop, and the guide rods 30 have their bases firmly et in said lugs, and extend vertically upward therefrom. A plate 11 extends between the sleeve:-: 29 and forms wilh'thcm a feedinghead for and at the right of the plates 25 and 26. The plate ell has a row of openings therethrough, from front to back and adjacent to the top the eof, to receive looselv therein ten horizontal tension pins 45. anil has th same number of pivot pins '16 set in the back side thereof directly below said first-named pins. llach pin 45 is in the form of a screw, and has its rear terminal lapped into a presser finger 457. These ten lingers mounted on the pivot pins 16, and have at the bottom ends rearwardly extending parls 48 that enter slots el-E) in the plate 26 to press against the strips 17 at the left of said pa lls. The fingers 4T depend from the pins 45. and the angular bases of said lingers are perltlll lllfi llll iii

mitted to press against the strips 17 in the grooves 27, because the slots 49 open into said grooves at the right of the base 28-see Fig. 12. A spring 50 is interposed between a washer 51, which is on each pin and bears against the head thereof, and the adjacent side of the plate ist, whereby the finger l7 with which said pen engaged is yieldingly held with its lower terminal inadvanced position and its projection 48 pressed agaii'ist the strip 17 at the left of said projection. The amount oi. tension oi. any sprii'ig 50 can be varied by turning the associated pin 45 in or out of the finger 4.7 with which said pin is engaged.

It is now evident that the feeding-head with its fingers t7 and the plates 25 and 26 constitutes a feeding unit that can be moved up or down on the guide rods 30. Although the presser fingers 47 at their lower ends constantly engage lrictionally the strips 17, this engagemei'lt is of such a nature that the whole unit moves upwardly without dit- Jl'iculty, when said strips are held stationary from below, they are intermittently by parts of the cutter-head yet to be described, and that said strips are carried downwardly with said unit when the same descends.

The required. reei n-ocating movement is imparted to the aforesaid unit by means oi the cam 42, a lever 52, links 53 and 54:, a lever 55, and a linlc- 56. The lever 52 is mounted 'tol rock on the stud 38, and said. lever at its right-hand end is equipped with a roll 57 which is receivcal in a cam-groove 58 in the cam 4-2. The upper end ot the link 53 is pivotally connected at 58 with the left hand end of the lever 52, and the. lower end oi. said link is pivotally connected at 5!) with a block (it). The lower end of the link 54lis pivotally connected at (it with the block 60, and the upper end of said link is pivotally connected at 62 with the forward end of the lever 55. The lever mounted to rock on a stud (54 projecting from the right-hand side of the fixture 31 near the front end thereof. The lower end of the link 56 is pivotally COIH'lQCtGtl at 65 with the rear end of the lever 55, and the upper end ot said link is 111ivotally coi'inected at 50" with the plate 44: in the center and near the bottom edge thereof, said link being at the right o't said plate.

As the cam 42 rotates, it oscillates the lever through the medium oi the roll 57, said lever anises the lever 55 to be oscillated. through the medium of the links 53 and 54: and their pivotal connections, and said last named lever, through the medium of the link 56, imparts a reciprocating movement to the feeding-head and all the parts and men'ibers carried tl'iereby. At each revolution of the cam 42, the presser' itingers 47 move up with the plates 25 and 26 on the strips 17, and with said plates move down again carrying with them said strips. The cutting mechanism and the cam 4-1-2 are so relatively timed that the strips 17 are held securely while the fingers 4J7 ascend, and so prevent said fingers from carrying with them said strips, but are released when the lingers descend, so that the latter carry down with them the strips into position to have a row of points out therefrom. The base ot the plate 26 descends nearly to the top ot the knife 24:.

If it be desired to remove the attachment for any reason, the bolts 32 are taken out, the lever 52 is detached :l'rom the stud 38, the levers and. links below the lixture Eli. are disconnected, and said lixlure and the parts and members supported thereon and thcrelrv are removed from the bed -1l-. The bolts Ilti are taken out and the fixture 35 is removed. from the bed 4t, and the stud 88 is unscrewed from said bed.

Arrai'iged to slide longitudinally on the bed 4: is a carriage 66, which carriage has a depending lug (57. Another carriage (i8 is mounted on the carriage (3G tor longiinrlinal movemei'it. A horizontal rod (39 is arranged in the lug (l7 and a cross piece of the bed 4-, wit-h a spring 7.], interposed between said cross-piece and said lug. Threaded onto the right hand end of the rod (it), at the right (it the lug (37, is a nut 72. The spring 7t forces the log (37 against the nut 72, and exerts a coi'istant pressure to the right on said lug and the carriage 6t. Slidingly arranged in the longitudinal center of the carriage (id is a rod 73. This rod projects beyond the righthand end of the carriage 6G, and is forced to the right by means ot a spring Til; interposed in said carriage between the left-hand end of said rod and a plug tappcal into the corresponding end of the passage provided in said carriage for said rod, spring, and plug. There a vertical opening To in. the carriage (i6, and a pin 77 extends downwardly from the carriage (38 into said opening, said pin being rigidly attached to the rod 73. The opening 76 is larger than the pin 77 to allow said pin to move back and forth. therein, and the spring H tends constantly to force the rod 73, said pin, and the carriage 68, to the right. The top of the (arriage 68 at the right-hand end is elevated, and secured to the elevated portion are ten holding rods 78. lllhese rods are arranged side by side and extend to the left over the top oil. the carriage and through a block 72) secured to said carriage at the left-hand end thereof, and through a movable knit'e 81) let into and rigidly secured to said block at said end. Bolted to the right-hand end of a bed book 81 secured to the top oi the brd el, at the left ot the block Tibia a gagebar 82 which I'GCPlVOF, the descending strips 17 and assists in positioning them tor cutting.

The fixed knife 2+t is n'iounted on the bed int) block 81 and secured thereon by means of an angular bar 83 bolted to the top of the bed 4, together with bolts with which said bar is equipped. The base 28 of the reciprocating plate 26 plays up and down in front of that part of the bar 83 that is on the knife 24. In the block 81, beneath the knife 2 st, are ten channels 84: to: receive the points as they are cut from the strips, and wherein said points are held intermittently by the rods 78.

Mounted on and bolted at 85 to the block 79 and. extending to the left over a portion of the movable knife 80 is a guide bar 86, and having its ends rigidly secured to said bar is a U-shaped guide bar 87. Slidingly arranged in the bars 86 and 87 are ten clamping plungers 88, each provided intermediate of its ends with a collar 89. The passages in the bar 86 for the plungers 88 are enlarged at their right-hand terminals to accommodate the collars 89. Interposed between the transverse part of the bar 87 and the collars 89 are springs 90. These springs have a constant tendency to force the collars S9 and the plunge-rs 88 to the left or toward the fixed knife.

The knife 80 is adapted, when actuated to the left or advanced, to make with the bottom right-hand edge of the knife 21 shearing cuts on the vertical strips 17, which cuts are at an angle of 40 to the strips. The rods 78 are in line with the channels 8 1, and the plungers 88 are at the right of the right-hand side of the knife 24.

A transverse rock-shaft 91. is journaled in the bed t below and a little to the left of the shaft 6, and mounted on and secured to said rock-shaft are upwardly extending arms 92 and 93, the former being shorter than and in front of the latter. The arm 92 bears at its upper terminal against the outer end of the rod 73. A roll 94- is mounted on a transverse shaft 95 journaled in two bearings 96 that rise from the carriage (36 at the right-hand end thereof. Mounted on and secured to the shaft (3 between the bearings 5 are two ams 97 and 98, the former being larger than and in front of the latter. The cam 97 is in contact with the roll 94, which roll is at the left of said cam, and the cam 98 is in confact with the arm 93, which is also at the left of its cam.

At each revolution of the shaft 6, the cam 97, acting on the roll 94; and through the medium of the shaft 95' and the bearings 96, forces the carriage G6 to the left, oradvanees it, against the resiliency of the spring 71, and permits said carriage to be returned by said spring to retracted or initial position. and at the same time the cam 98 acting on the arm 93 rocks said arm to the left on the rock-shaft 91 and with it the arm 92, and said last-named arm forces the rod 69 to the left, against the resiliency of the. spring 71, with the result that the carriage 68 is moved to the left or advanced, through the medium of the pin 77, and then said last-named spring acts to move said lastnamed carriage to the right into retracted or initial position.

Referring to Figs. 9, 1.0, 11, and 12, in the order named, it will be seen that, while the movable knife 80 and the clamping plungers 88 are in retracted position, and the feeding-head is descending with the strips 17, the points (represented at 99) in the channels 84 are prevented from falling out of the entrances to said channels by the holding rods 78; that, as said strips are carried down further by said feeding-head, they descend over said entrances into position to hold said points in place, said rods are withdrawn from the paths of said strips, and said knife and said )lnngcrs begin to advance; that, by the time the strips are moved down by the feeding-head until their lower ends contact with the gage-bar 82, the strips are clamped by said plungers against the face of the fixed knife 24-, said movable knife advances into cutting position, and said rods are retracted so that they no longer project to the left beyond said movable knife; and that, while the strips are clamped by the plungers, the movable knife continues to advance and cuts a set of ten points from the lower end portions of the strips which cover the entrances to said channels. Next, the mo able knife and clamping plunger-s recede, the holding rods advance, and the feeding-head rises to its highest position, the finger projections 48 then slipping on the strips, the parts and members again being disposed as in Fig. 4.

From the channels 8% the points 99. as they accunnrlate, are forced into ten channels 100 in a carrier 101 which extends to the left from the bed block 81.

Assuming that ten zinc strips 17 have had their leading ends passed between the feed wheel 11 and the feed-tensitm roll 15, introduced into the holder 19, and moved on into and through the tubes 20. and down between the plates 25 and 26 in the grooves 27, onto the gage-bar 82, and that said feed wheel and the shaft 6 are in motion, the operation of said mechanism is described as follows:

At each revolution of the cams 97 and 98, on the shaft 6, the knife 80, clamping plungers SS, and holding rods 78 are operated to cut ten points from the bottoms of. the strips 17, and to advance the points previously cut and in the channels St a distance in said channels equal to the thickness of one point. The strips 17 are fed constantly, although having their lower ends momentarily retarded by the gage-bar 82 and the clamping plungers 88 while the cut is being made each time. \Vhatever slack in the strips may occur during the time they are clamped is d stributed and taken .ttl'O of in the tubes.

The teedbig-head which reeiprocates on the rods ill) and includes the lingers 4L7, carries the plates 25 and 26 down and with them the strips 17 a distance equal to the width of a point 99 between any two (it its parallel i-iides. while the plungers 88 are out oi contact with said strips, and said tendinghead rises the same distance and carries with it said plates while said plungers are in clamping relationship with s; id strips, said. plates and the lingin' ends 1118 then sliding upwardly on the stationary strips without allieeting them.

The 'ten points are out from the ten striin; 17 at an angle of 40 by the knives 24 and 80. lhese points are pushed. into the ehannels 8t by the eutting parts oil the knife 80, and held there by the rods 78 while said kni'te is retracted and until said strips are moved down .in front of said points.

\Ve claim:

1.. 1n strip-teeding mechanism, elain iing means tor a strip, reeiprocating mains to tend said strip in ope 'atire relation to said clamping means, and to slip on said strip while the same is being held by said clanniiing means, said reciprocatingmeans comprising members which form a. sin ight and unbroken course for said strip, and 'yieldingly held. lingers located adjacent to said course.

ln strip-tleeding mechanism, clamping means for a strip, rotary feeding means for said strip, and a head having guide plates which term a. st aight and l'llllJFOiCOI] course tor the leading-end portion of said strip, and provided with yieldingly held lingers 'lfrie tinnally to engage said strip in said. course, whereby the strip is fed in operative relation to said clamping means, and said plates and lingers slip on said strip while the same is held by said clamping means.

Ll. ln :-itrip-'|i'eeding niecl'ianism, a liiitture, a l eedii'ig-head mounted to reciprocate on said l'ixture, having attached thereto guide plates forming straightand. unbroken courses lion strips to be cut, and provided with yieldingly held lii'igers ar'anged frictionally to engage said strips it said courses, without berating or penetratiiiig' the strips, and in'ierating means tor said feeding head, said lingers being independcnt o't said means.

-l-. in strip-.l'cerling mechanism, bedding means tor strips, reeiprtwating guide plates 'li'n'ming straight and. iiinbroken courses for said strips, and yielding means to cause said strips to more with said plates in one direction, but adapted to slip with said plates on said strips when the latte are held by said holding means and the plates are moved in the opposite direction, all witlngriit bending or l .il.itlit.1 t. str s stri n ii .g nienlgi ail ing giiiide plates forming a course for strips, a supporting member t'a'veling with said 1:1lates, and springpressed fingers pivotally connected with said member and having parts to bear on said strips in said eom'ses.

it The combination, in strip-feeding merhanism, with abed. and a shaft and a. cam thereon, of a fixture attachable to and detznrhable from said bed, a feeding-bald mounted to reci 'n'ocate on said fixture, having attached. thereto guide plates tor strips, and provided with yieldingly-l|eld lingers arranged friction-ally to engage said strips, and ope 'ating means for said feeding-head, said means being operatirely connected with said. can], and pivotally connected with said bed and said feeding-luau], said lingers being ilnlependent of said means.

T. The tJOllllJllltlllUl'l, in Sll'lj'l-"l tletlll'ltjlj meelninism, with a. late ally inclined bed, of a fixture attachable to said bed crosswise thereof, a feeding head mounted to reciprorate on said lixture, having attaehtal thereto guide plates for strips to be cut obliquely, the bottom edges of which plates incline with the ineliliation of said bed, and being pro- 'ided with yieldingly held vertical lingers arranged trictienally to engage said strips, and ope 'ating means for slid teeding-hand, said lingers being independent of said means.

it. The :oinbination, in. strip-itetaling mechanism, with a laterally inclined. bed, and a shaft; and a. cam thereon, of a. fixture attaelnible to and detachable from said. bed crosswise thereof, a feeding-head mounted to reciprocate on said fixture, having attached thereto guide plates for strips to be cut. obliquely, the bottom edges of said plates corresponding with the inclination oi. said bed, and said teedii'ig -hiad being provided with yieldinglyheld vertical lingers arranged 'lrirtionally to engage said strips, and operating n'ieans for said, feeding-head, said. means being ope 'atively connected with said cam, pivotally ctmnected with said bed and said feeding-head, and. indepcndel'lt of said lingers.

ll. The eoinbimition. in strip-feeding .mecl'ial'lisn'i, with a bed, and. a shaft. and a cam thereon, ot a fixture adapted to be secured to said bed, a feeding-head moiginted to slide on said fixture, iarrying guide plates for strips, and. equipped with yieldinglyheld lingers arranged to bear on said stri' s, lever pivotally connected with. said bed and in engagement with said cam, a lever pivotally connected with said tixlure and having a link connection with said sliding member, a. guide member fastened to said bed, a guide rod slidingly ar 'anged in said guide member, and link connections between said rod and. said levers.

watir? J w itll.

loosely mounted in said 'member and connected with said fingers, and a stnpguide arranged to move with said member, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that said fingers yieldingly engage the strips in said guide.

11. In strip-feeding mechanism, a fixture provided With guide rods, a plate having sleeves mounted to slide on said rods, a plate grooved to receive said strips and a cover plate therefor, both plates being rigidly connected with said sleeves, fingers havingprofirst-named plate between the same and said grooved plate, Which latter is perforated to receive said projections, and springn'essed pins loosely mounted in said first-named plate and connected with said fingers, the arrangement and construction of parts being such that said projections nm'nialty are adapted frictionally to engage said strips in said grooves.

CHARLES J. FANG/HER,

ROBERT A. JOHNSON. 

